Tampon applicator



Nov. 19, 1940. s. w. PETERSEN TAMPON APPLIGATOR Filed March 25, 1940Nov. 19, 1940 UNITED STATES aazaoas TAMPON srruosron Gordon W. Petersen,Menasha, Wis, assignmto International Cellucotton Products Company,Chicago, 111., a corporation of Delaware Application March 25, 1940,Serial No. 325,740

6 Claim.

This invention relates to an improvement in means for inserting a tamponin the vaginal passag way and the main objects of the invention or toprovide an inexpensive, simple but eflicient device for the purposeindicated; to provide an applicator of the character indicated which maybe characterized as a single-use article, i. e., one which is thrownaway or disposed of after it is used once; and to provide a device ofthe character indicated which will meet the requirements of properhygiene with reference to the use of tapons.

@ther objects and advantages of the invention will be understood byreference to the following specification and accompanying drawingwherein there is described and illustrated a tampon applicator embodyinga selected form of the invention.

in e drawing:

Fla 1 is a perspective of the improved applicater including a tamponmounted in the applicator; a

Figure 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Figure 1 on an enlarged scale;

Flo 3 is a cross-section on the line 3-3 of Figure 2; and Q Fin 4 is asection corresponding to a portion oi Figure 2 but showing the parts ina changed position.

The tampon applicator herein contemplated is primarily intended for usein connection with tampons such as are employed for absorbing menstrualfluids but it will be understood that the structure may be employed forthe insertion of other tampons such as are sometimes used in thetreatment of various diseases.

The improved structure as shown in the drawling comprises a tubularmember 5 which may conveniently be made of paper of a grade andthickness which will be substantially self-supporting. In other words,the paper tube should be of sumcient stiffness to maintain itselfagainst collapsing both longitudinally and transversely. The tube 5 maybe formed by spirally winding suitable paper stock and the outer surfacethereof is preferably finished with a varnish or other coating whichprovides a smooth and substantially impervious finish.

A tampon 6 of suitable construction for the purpose intended is mountedin the forward end portion of the tube and the front or pointed end I ofthe tampon preferably, although not necessarily, Projects slightlybeyond the tube as best shown in Figure 2. The tube or holder 5 is ofgreater length than the tampon so as to provide an unoccupied rearportion 8 into which a portion of an ejector member is initiallyinserted.

The ejector member comprises a strip 9 of paperboard which is foldedupon itself approximately mid-way between its ends as indicated at 5 l0.Portions ll of the strip 9 adjacent its fold ID are inserted in theunoccupied rear portion 8 of the holder 5 and the strip is re-bent asindicated at l2, l2 adjacent the rear end of the holder 5 so as to causehandle-forming portions l3, I3 of the 10 ejector to lie closely adjacentoppositely disposed outer surface portions of the holder 5. As bestshown in Figure 3, the holder portions l3, it are preferably pressed toa transversely arched shape which will hug the adjacent outer surfaceporlo tions of the holder 5.

The applicator with a tampon positioned therein as illustrated in Figure2 may be enclosed in Cellophane or other suitable wrapping materialwhich will serve to lreep the article in a clean and 20 sanitarycondition, such wrapping also serving to hold the handle portions l3, l3of the ejector in their refolded position and incidentally holding theejector member in assembled relation to the holder 5.

When the device is to be used, the wrapping is removed and the ejectorhandle portions l3, l3 unfolded so as to extend rearwardly from theholder. The ejector may then be easily moved inwardly of the holderuntil the fold ll) of the 30 ejector engages the adjacent end M of thetampon. The initial spaced relation between the ejector end formed bythe fold it and the end M of the tampon is advantageous in that itpermits the said initial free inward 'movement of the 35 ejector wherebythe zones of refolding it of the ejector are moved inwardly of theholder 5 so that the latter is effective to support the ejector againstbuckling in the refolded portions 12 when suflicient longitudinal forceis applied to the m ejector to eject the tampon from the holder 5.

The construction described is further advantageous in that it reducestoa minimum the necessary length of the ejector strip without sac-'rificing permanency of the assembled relation of 5 the ejector strip andthe holder. It will be observed that when' using the device, the ejectormay initially be adjusted to the position illustrated in Figure 4 inwhich the ejector is frictionally held in assembled relation to theholder 5, 5o whereupon the holder 5 with the tampon in its front end maybe inserted to the proper position in the vaginal passageway, afterwhich the ejector may be manipulated to force the tampon from the holderor the holder pulled rearwardly while ll preventing the tampon fromfollowing by holding the ejector in fixed position. i

The ejector strip comprising only a simple narrow strip of suitablepaper or other board is an obviously inexpensive element of thedescribed applicator construction but it efliciently serves the purposeof ejecting the tampon from the holder. The device isv simple and easyto use, affording adequate handling length conducive to the hygienicsafety of the operation of inserting a tampon.

Changes in the described construction may be made without departing fromthe spirit of the invention, the scope of which should be determined byreference to the following claims, the same being construed as broadlyas possible, consistent withthe state of the art.

I claim:

1. A tampon applicator comprising an elongated tubular holder adapted tohave a tampon removably seated in one end portion thereof, and means forejecting the tampon comprising a folded strip having its fold andadjacent portions disposed within said holder, end portions o f saidfolded strip remaining accessible outside of said holder to serve as aholder for advancing the folded strip in the holder to thereby ejectthetampon.

2. A tampon applicator comprising an elongated tubular holder adapted tohave a tampon removably seated in one end portion thereof, and means forejecting the tampon comprising a folded strip having its fold andadjacent portions disposed within said holder, end portions of saidfolded strip being disposed outside of said holder to shorten thecombined lengths of the holder and ejecting means, saidrefolded portionsbeing adapted to be unfolded and forced into said holde thereby toadvance said fold to eject the tampon.

3. A tampon applicator comprising an elongated tubular holder adapted tohave a tampon removably seated in one end portion thereof, and means forejecting the tampon comprising a folded strip having its fold andadjacent portions disposed with-in said holder, end portions of saidfolded strip being disposed outside of said holder and refolded topositions adjacent the outer surface of said holder, said refoldedportions being adapted to be unfolded and to be forced into said holder,thereby to advance said fold to eject the tampon.

4. A tampon applicator comprising an elongated tubular holder adapted tohave a tampon removably seated in one end portion thereof, and means forejecting the tampon comprising a folded strip having its folded andadjacent portions disposed within said holder, end portions of saidfolded strip being disposed outside of said holder and refolded adjacentthe end of the holder and disposed in positions adjacent outer surfaceportions of said holder, said refolded portions being adapted to beunfolded and forced longitudinally into said holder, thereby to advancesaid fold to eject the tampon.

5. A tampon applicator according to claim 3 wherein the holder is ofrounded cross-section and the refolded portions of the ejecting meansare arched transversely so as to be adapted to hug the outer surface ofthe holder.

6. A tampon applicator according to claim 3 wherein the fold in theejector means is initially disposed in spaced relation to the adjacentend of the .tampon in the holder, whereby the ejector strip is adaptedto be freely movable inwardly so as to position its zones of refoldingwithin the holder before the ejector engages the tampon, the holderbeing thereby operative to prevent buckling of the ejector adjacent saidzones incident to the resistance of the tampon to displacement from theholder.

GORDON w. PETERSEN.

